FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, June 19th, 2013
COMCAST SPORTSNET ANNOUNCES WINNER OF 2013 ALL-STAR TEACHER AWARD
Ruben Modesto of John H. Pitman High School Named 2013 All-Star Teacher,
$20,000 Check for His School Presented in His Honor
Each All-Star Teacher Award Runner-Up to Receive $2,000 for His/Her School
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (June 19, 2013) – Comcast SportsNet, the home of “Authentic Bay Area Sports,” today announced that Ruben Modesto of John H. Pitman High School in Turlock is the winner of the 2013 All-Star Teacher Award, presented by Provident Credit Union, and has been presented a $20,000 check for his school. In addition, each All-Star Teacher Award runner-up will receive $2,000 for his/her school.
Note: See attached image. (Left to right) Ted Griggs, President, Comcast SportsNet Bay Area; Ruben Modesto, 2013 All-Star Teacher, John H. Pitman High School; John Haggarty, Vice President of Marketing, Provident Credit Union; and Javier Lopez, San Francisco Giants pitcher presented the $20,000 check during an on-field ceremony prior to this afternoon’s San Francisco Giants/San Diego Padres game at AT&T Park.
In its seventh year, the All-Star Teacher Award recognizes middle and high school teachers in Northern and Central California and Nevada for their extraordinary dedication to their students and significant presence within their respective communities. An esteemed panel of community leaders selected five finalists based on four categories: Overall Commitment, Excellence in Teaching, Rapport with Students, and Level of Distinction. This year’s five finalists were Aaron Colacion of John F. Kennedy High School (Richmond); Jessica Lee of Willard Middle School (Berkeley); Dan Kirwan of Ida Price Middle School (San Jose); Bridgit McGarry of Our Lady of Grace Nativity Schools (San Jose); and Ruben Modesto of JohnH.PitmanHigh School (Turlock).
John Haggarty, Vice President of Marketing, Provident Credit Union, stated, “Congratulations to Ruben Modesto on winning the 2013 All-Star Teacher Award. After receiving a record number of over 300 nominations, all of our five finalists are deserving of the award. The future of education is bright after seeing the dedication demonstrated in this year’s All-Star Teacher Award.”
“Comcast SportsNet and Provident Credit Union are honored to name Ruben Modesto the 2013 All-Star Teacher and to present him with a $20,000 check for JohnH.PitmanHigh School,” said Ted Griggs, President, Comcast SportsNet Bay Area. “Modesto has demonstrated extraordinary dedication to his school and his community. By means of his passion for music, he has deeply connected with his students. We would also like to celebrate and thank the other finalists and award nominees for their invaluable contributions in their classrooms and communities.”
All-Star Teacher nomination forms were mailed to Northern and Central California and Nevada schools. Forms were also available online at Providentcu.org and Provident Credit Union branch locations. Many teachers were nominated by peers, students, parents and principals, and the finalists were chosen by panel of judges consisting of Doug Bartlett, Senior Marketing Director, BART; John Haggarty, VP Marketing, Provident Credit Union; Lorena Hernandez, Director of Community Investment, Comcast California; Detra Paige, Director of Community Relations, Oakland Athletics; and Sue Petersen, Executive Director, Giants Community Fund. Members of the public voted for the All-Star Teacher finalists online at CSNBayArea.com from Monday, April 15 through Sunday, June 2.
All-Star Teacher Award recipients:
2007 Michael Meneses – PresidioMiddle School, San Francisco
2008 Allen Nakamura – AlamedaHigh School, Alameda
2009 Jessica Schelegle – Sacred HeartSchool, Saratoga
2010 Zachary Swan – JeffersonHigh School, Daly City
2011 Robert “Corky” Black – OakGroveHigh School, San Jose
2012 Dr. Paul Ricks – HopkinsJunior High School, Fremont
2013 Ruben Modesto – JohnH.PitmanHigh School, Turlock
About Provident Credit Union:
Provident Credit Union is a $1.6 billion financial institution with over 98,000 members and 18 community branches in the Bay Area. The Redwood Shores-based credit union has proudly served the Bay Area since 1950. The full-service credit union offers everything from checking and savings accounts through mortgages, auto loans, mutual funds and home and auto insurance. Provident began as the California Teachers Association Credit Union and expanded over the years to include those who live and work in the surrounding counties of the Bay Area and beyond. More information is available at www.providentcu.org.
About Comcast SportsNet Bay Area:
NBC Sports Regional Networks, part of the NBC Sports Group, consists of 14 local networks that deliver more than 2,400 sporting events annually along with breaking news and comprehensive analysis to more than 50 million cable and satellite homes. The NBC Sports Regional Networks are: Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, Comcast SportsNet California , Comcast SportsNet Chicago, Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic, Comcast SportsNet New England, Comcast SportsNet Northwest, Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia, SNY, CSS, Comcast Sports Southwest, and Comcast SportsNet Houston (launching October 2012). NBC Sports Regional Networks also manages NECN (New England Cable News), the nation’s largest regional news network, and The Comcast Network, based in Philadelphia and Washington, which delivers community-oriented programming. For more information, see ComcastSportsNet.com.
